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What is the frequency of the sub test tone in VE? (1 Viewer)

JerryIII

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Nov 9, 1998
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122
I am going to calibrate my system tonight with Video Essentials and was wondering what frequency the sub test tone is. My reason for asking this is the correction values that exist for the trusty rat shak spl meter. I want to be as accurate as possible. Am I correct that I should calibrate the mains at 75db and the sub at 85db? I am using a Sony SDP-EP9ES as my DD processor. The sub is an SVS CS-Ultra.
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Thanks,
Jerry
 

Vin

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Oct 23, 2000
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546
Jerry, the Video Essential tones are 75dB (sorry, I don't know what frequency they are) so you should be calibrating all 5 speakers to to this level. Most people will calibrate the sub slightly higher, say 78-81dB....if you're going to do most of your listening at reference level you probably won't want to be any higher than this on your sub.
With that said, you might want to calibrate your sub as high as 85dB if you don't usually listen at reference level......this is what I've done and I don't find the extra 10dB from the sub to be overwhelming unless I'm listening at or near reference level, which is rare.
Hope this helps.
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JerryIII

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Nov 9, 1998
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Thanks for the quick reply Vin. I thought that I had this whole calibration thing figured out until I read a post the other day that has confused the hell out of me. I was under the impression that the sub tone is some how pumped up by the processor 10db. That is why I always calibrated the sub at 85 and the mains at 75. Have I been wrong all this time? I hope that someone will be able to clear this up. I am also really curious as to the frequency of that test tone.
Thanks again,
Jerry
 

Pete Mazz

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May 17, 2000
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Supposedly, if you balance the sub and mains with a Rat Shak meter, your sub would be 2-3 dB over your mains because of the inaccuracy of the meter.
Disregard the 10 dB offset as your processor takes care of it automatically.
As for frequency of the test tone, I would guess it's a warble tone, but don't know the specific frequency.
Pete
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JerryIII

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Nov 9, 1998
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Thanks Pete, I guess that I will set everything to 75db. It is surprising that VE dosen't include the frequency of the sub test tone though. I would think that it would be important for accurate calibration. If someone does know please post.
Thanks,
Jerry
 

Jack Gilvey

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I don't have VE, but with Avia the calibration tone is not a "frequency" as such, but some LF pink noise, a bunch of random frequencies (it's been a while since I've done it). A distinct low frequency would be too subject to room modes and individual speaker characteristics to be useful for calibration, I'd think.
I think I recall (TomV.,maybe?) that if using such pink noise, one would need to add 2-3 db to the RS meter reading based on comparisons with an actual RTA.
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Dustin B

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On question. If the receiver's processor is supposed to be adding 10db to the sub automatically, won't it add this 10dB to the test tone for the sub? So if you calibrate it to 75 won't the sub bet 10db below what it was intended to be?
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Dustin
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Jack Gilvey

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It's all in here...
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[Edited last by Jack Gilvey on October 03, 2001 at 11:11 AM]
 

John Kotches

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No.
The processor does the boost automatically as part of the decode process for DD and DTS.
When issuing test tones, it is straight level setting.
None of the calibration tools I've used (AVIA, VE, several processors and receivers built in calibrations) have required anything but level setting of all channels (including LFE).
So, set everything equal and you'll be fine.
Regards,
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John Kotches
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Tom Vodhanel

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Sep 4, 1998
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the VE tone is 40-80hz(pink) I think. Almost all the woof calibration tones I measured were. One was 30-60hz...but I can recall which.
the RS meter reads 2-3dB low during this.
so if you calibrate at 75dB...you're an actual 77-78dB
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JerryIII

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Nov 9, 1998
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122
Thanks for the help guys.
Darian, that is the same thing that I thought. That is why I always calibrated my sub at 85 and my mains at 75. I guess I have been doing it wrong all this time.
Jack, thanks alot for the link. That is a very informative article.
John, I will calibrate at 75 for all speakers.
Tom, that is what I was looking for. I can't wait to get home from work and calibrate the CS_Ultra that was just delivered to my office. I am so excited that I am beginning to feel a little ill. Maybe I need to go home....
wink.gif

Thanks again,
Jerry
[Edited last by JerryIII on October 03, 2001 at 12:51 PM]
 

Ron Stimpson

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Jul 19, 1998
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199
Jerry,
I think they call that the "SVS Flu" now. Employers report a spike in this whenever a shipment of SVSs go out.
;^)
Ron
 

JerryIII

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Nov 9, 1998
Messages
122
"SVS Flu" that must be it. This thing moves fast. I am feeling more and more ill with every passing minute. I hear that after the illness has passed, the patient is stricken with a case of perma-grin. Is this true? :)
Jerry
[Edited last by JerryIII on October 03, 2001 at 03:24 PM]
 

Russell R

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Feb 20, 2000
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The article from Home Theater HI-FI is very informative. I still have a question. If the LFE channel is 10 db hotter than the mains in DD, what about dts? I am using a Sony 777ES and I have the ability to increase the level on dts material and decrease the level on DD.
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Pete Mazz

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May 17, 2000
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A processor will handle DD and DTS processing automatically. If your levels are matched, the output will be correct for either format. Having said that, I have read, but never tried, a DTS music disc is recorded differently. Supposedly, the normal "movie boost" that the processor applies is too hot for these music discs. My processor has a DTS mode setting for movies or music. Don't ask me why they decided to record these differently, it makes no sense to me.
Pete
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Nick P

Second Unit
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Feb 11, 2001
Messages
270
Just to reiterate what others have said, yes the receiver will automatically add the 10db boost. If I remember correctly from some of the other lengthy threads about this the reason the receiver boosts 10db is because the LFE is actually encoded on the disc 10db LOWER than the other channels.
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